@WaitingOnCollegeResponses don’t be sad. We aren’t all turning against each other. A couple of other people have different views and that’s ok. We are still a supportive group and I certainly don’t consider myself “an entitled whiner” because I am anxiously awaiting news for my daughter, and venting my frustration as a parent who wants to see her daughter happy. I have twins, so this is a particularly stressful time for me. One has been accepted ED to her first choice school and one is waiting to hear EA from her first choice school, which is UMASS Amherst. That’s what threads are all about. To vent, to offer support and to share views that can be helpful to others. No worries. We are still supporting each other … at least I know I am, and I’m sure a few others on here still are as well.
@Equinox1 I completely agree with you!
well, my son applied to 4 schools EA, and 3 of them have sent decisions. I can understand the frustration and stress as a parent. Good luck to everyone.
Do we think decisions will be posted today?
It’s ridiculous. Penn State is a much bigger school. They committed to a date and they met it. Same with UMass Lowell. Clearly, there are problems at UMass Amherst and they can’t get this job done. Admissions has one job and it happens every year at the same time. They should be able to handle it by now. The point of EA is the find our EARLY. My son was accepted at Penn State Erie, Wentworth, UMass Lowell and SUNY Polytech. He has great options for his 3.7 weighted GPA and 27 ACT and I need to just let this go. Also, if they are holding on declines, that’s even more cruel. Tell people so they can jump into action for additional schools if needed!
Lol, no, I doubt it. Only because I thought they’d be posted every day this week.
My kid seems a lot less stressed than I am, so I’m just going to chill out and when he hears, he hears.
@derakiii33 - this is not what’s going on. As others have said, UMass does not manage yield for in-state that way (or at all). Many kids with as high, or higher, stats than yours, are getting into UMass and using their (our) own state-school as a safety with the blessing of that school. It’s to the advantage of the school because there’s always some yield from the high-stats pool, for financial, logistical, family, or other reasons. And there are so many thousands of students at UMass that yield isn’t hinging on a few dozen kids.
Since UMass does holistic admissions, and you were rejected (not deferred) at your earlies, you should look carefully at your essays etc. and see what went wrong.
Then find some schools that could admit you based on stats alone (where you have strength), in case some unknown red flag is holding you back.
Do not proceed assuming that this was a yield-protection decision. That is vanishingly unlikely given the data on other students’ admission and the explanations people have given you on CC. Apparently someone told you that it was yield protection, but that person may well have a vested interest in not blaming another part of the process, including your own application or the contributions (letters and transcripts) of your school/counselors/teachers.
@marketingmom I agree. Especially about if they are holding the declines until the end being most cruel. I want to feel, in my heart, that admissions would not do such a thing to people, but you just never know. If, in their minds, it benefits the school in some way, then the feelings of the applicants and their families doesn’t matter. Let’s hope that’s not the case, even though it’s been in the back of my mind for quite awhile now. ???
Too many AP/IB classes - Just a guess.
If the declines are going out last, how is that cruel? It shows that they are probably looking at the applications holistically, and not just plugging them into a computer that admits and denies based on numbers only, like Penn State does.
@NYCDadof2 my take on how it’s cruel is, if many of these apps were read, in mid November or beginning of December, for example, and declined, put into a file titled “Rejected”, and held to be released in mid January … two months later, those applicants could have put their plan B into affect much sooner. I know for myself, if I’m going to be rejected for whatever reason, let me know as soon as possible so I can process that decision and make other arrangements. It’s stressful enough to wait a long period of time to finally hear a decision of acceptance, never mind waiting two months to hear you’ve been rejected. To me, that’s not a very nice thing to do to someone.
Son applied to Massachusetts, Delaware, Villanova, Maryland, Colorado, Virginia, Fordham and American. He’s heard from UMass, Delaware, and Fordham. in terms of the other schools there isn’t anyone posting on their boards that has their hair on fire like the people do when it comes to UMass.
if Massachusetts is being deliberate with their process it’s because they are a victim of their own success. Applications are way up and they totally screwed up the yield last year. Seven or eight hundred extra students that they weren’t expecting ended up enrolling.
In-state people have figured out how good the cost value proposition is to attend UMass. Other state schools like Lowell and Bridgewater State are also benefiting from the trickle down. Kids who are getting denied at UMass are getting scholarships for Lowell.
Why do you think they know who they will reject at the beginning? My guess is that rejections are sent last because a candidate is in the running until there is no space left. I’d rather have a chance than have my application tossed without anyone looking at it.
At the risk of being the fact check guy, but also to hopefully put this into perspective, Penn State Erie is 20% the size of UMASS AM. Penn State- UP, the flagship is still reviewing applications. Therefore, your analysis actually demonstrates UMass is on the same pace as other large flagships. Despite the claims made by others, there are only a few large state schools that are not releasing in stages (e.g. Purdue, FSU) and those dates have not yet arrived.
The process for releasing decisions is either “some early” or “all late”. UMass happens to be a “some early” school. I suspect many on this forum would be proponents of this approach if they, or their child fell into the early bucket
@NJFather he applied to PSU University Park and didn’t get it; got 2nd choice. They were still able to get a decision by the date they committed.
It’s a business. They should be able to commit to a date and meet it. Do you get to do that at work? Finish your deliverables “whenever you get to it?” Nope, we all have deadlines. Do your job, UMass Amherst.
All others: it’s cruel because you could just give us the answer if it’s no, and let kids apply in time to another round of “regular decision schools.” Meaning, if you find out in EA that you didn’t get into any of your choices, you have time to do a new round of regular decision applications. If you get in with EA, you don’t need to. So rip off the bandaid.
So instead of knowing, kids have no choice but to start another round of applications. UMass is potentially wasting a lot of people’s time.
No…that’s not a thing. My son had more than this and was admitted.
For example Penn State clearly publishes the deadlines as below and I am assuming they met those by Dec 24th.
Decision Plan Application Available Application Submission Date Admission Notification by: Deadline for Student Notification of Enrollment
Early Action August 1 November 1 December 24 May 1
UMASS on the other hand has no such published guidelines for folks to plan accordingly.They just say applications are due Nov 5th.
FYI Only as in if UMASS publishes clearer guidelines as a flag ship campus it would help everyone.
@NYCDadof2 I am saying it’s cruel IF they already know and haven’t released.
If the decision is yes, and the kid didn’t get into any other EA choices, they likely are wasting money on additional reg decision applications as back up right now
If the decision is no, they would have had more time to regroup and apply to more schools in regular decision.
Overall, though, they are not operating as an efficient organization if they can’t set and commit to a deadline. They are supposed to be educating our youth, and that’s not the way the world works. No one in the real world is able to operate without any accountability. I can’t tell my boss “I’ll get to it whenever I can! Not committing, though!”
;o)
I believe EA decisions from Penn State University Park are completed (deadline was 12/24). We got the University Park acceptance before Christmas. Every applicant that we know has been notified.